GOOD FRIDAY WORSHIP SERVICE, EBCC DELHI
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Date: 6th April, 2012 (Friday)
Time: 11 A.M.
Place: EBC Church, Nasirpur, New Delhi
Good Friday is observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. EBCC, Delhi had a Holy Communion Service on this day.
2. The Local Pastor, EBCC, Delhi served as the Minister for this Holy Communion Service. He read out Isaiah 53 and had the opening prayer. The Worship Team led the congregation in praising the Lord through the songs “Lamdang Lua Sa in ka Ding hi” (Biakna Late #168) and “Hon Gumpa Koilai ah Na Om” (Pathian Ngaih La #127). “Ka Hinna Kumpipa Thupi” (Biakna Late #227) was then sung and Mass Prayer held. The Mass Prayer was followed by the song “Lungkhamna Sing Khros”.
3. Baptist Youth Fellowship (BYF) Choir Group, whose numerical strength increased manifold in the recent past, presented the number “Hinna Siangthou”. The Pastor blessed the congregaton and expressed his wish that God will provide all their needs-physical as well as spiritual. He welcomed the first timers in the church, wished them success and prayed for God’s help in all their endeavours during their stay in Delhi. Mr. Mung Munsong enthralled the congregation with “Etlawm Kalvari Khros Kei a ahi” in the praise of the Lord.
4. The theme of the Pastor’s Good Friday message was “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Mathew 23: 46)-words spoken by Jesus just before He died. He read out Mathew 23:44-49. He asked the congregation that as Jesus commits His spirit unto God, we should also do so likewise. He said Good Friday signifies the sacrifice made by Jesus to save us all by His death at the Cross. It is observed to signify his sacrifice that saves us from eternal damnation to give us eternal life. Jesus went through hardships, and at Gethsemani he suffered agony and prayed. Darkness came, the sun stopped shining and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. All these are God’s plans and do not mean that God had deserted Jesus. Instead God shows His power by stopping the sun from giving out light.
5. Why does Jesus have to commit His spirit unto God? Why do we have to commit ourselves unto God? Why can’t we live with our own free will? The Pastor outlined the answers as:
- God is the ruler, in other words, God reigns. Even when things don’t go our way, God reigns.
- God is love/compassion. For He loves us so much that He gave His son to save us. If we use our hardships, difficulties to stay closer to God, then our hardships will bring others closer to God and it will become a blessing to others. It will become a fruitful/beneficial hardship. Psalm 103: 13 states thus, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;” . We may not understand when we face hardships, but then God still loves us.
- Our spirit lives forever. We are different from animals who have no spirit. As written in Phillipians 2, because of Jesus’ death at the cross, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.
- He will lead us to Paradise. Derived from Persian, paradise is a place where there is only peace, prosperity and happiness. As written in Deuteronomy 6:5, we should love the Lord with all our heart, our soul and with all our strength. Do we give everything to God? If we do so, then it will be a very fruitful Good Friday.
6. The congregation then sung “Muanna Nuam Lunggulh In” (Biakna Late #399). The Pastor then conducted the Holy Communion Service. As Jesus shared with His Apostles before His crucifixion, popularly known as the Last Supper, the Holy Communion Service is usually held to follow Jesus’ command and in remembrance of His crucifixion on our behalf. The Church Deacons helped the Pastor in serving the “Holy Meal/Sacrament” and the church members partook of the same. The service concluded with the song “Ka Kipak Ngei Toupa” and Benediction by the Pastor/Minister.
-Joyful Tonsing, (Media Team)
